March of 3017 Third Age

Legolas sat perched high in the branches above the outpost, listening to the wind rustle the dry, dead leaves. The scouts were on the lookout below for any potential threat, so he allowed himself to relax. He watched as the sun began to slip behind the Misty Mountains, painting the sky in the colors of the dying forest.

"Captain!"

Legolas looked down where one of his soldiers called up to him. "Someone to see you!"

Legolas' brow furrowed, but he made his way down none-the-less. His feet hit the wood landing; just an unearthly screech shattered the forest's tranquility. On instinct, Legolas drew his knife and scanned the ground below.

There, Estel stood looking up at him, a gangly creature tied to a rope withered on the ground beside him.

"Take it off us," the creature wailed at the sky, tugging the rope. "We hates it we does."

Legolas sheathed his weapon and smiled at the ranger. "So, you finally found him."

Estel nodded. The two had crossed paths several times before as the ranger sought the horrid creature. "Found him in the marshes if you can believe it."

Legolas wrinkled his nose at the thought of the dead marshes. He had never been there, but he could imagine the stink of age-old bodies lying in a timeless rot. "What would you have done with him?" he asked, though he had a feeling he already knew the answer.

The creature struggled to get away, messing with the knot in the rope. Estel tugged on it, pulling him closer. "Mithrandir asks he be kept in your father's dungeons for the time being if he would be so obliged."

Legolas let out a long breath. He couldn't turn the ranger away. If Mithrandir had reason to want the creature here, he could not refuse, though he wasn't sure his father would see the same. "Very well," he said and made his way to the ground. "You may bring him to my father."

"Hannon le, Legolas."

The ranger nodded his thanks, and Legolas called for a novice warrior to escort him to the stronghold. As they disappeared through the darkening trees, Legolas prayed the creature wouldn't bring unwanted attention to the realm.

*****

Nearly twelve months passed before Legolas and his unit made their way home, out of the darkness and into the light. Here the trees still sang, their leaves thin and healthy enough to let the dimming evening light through in pale shimmering strings.

Elves steered clear of the path as they neared the gates, parting for their prince. Turning his back to the gushing waterfall, Legolas called his unit to attention. They halted, footfalls pausing in time with one another though silent, like the soft fall of a leaf on dry ground.

The prince turned to his second in command. "Have the weapons cleaned and returned, then dismiss them for the night."

Amras saluted his captain and Legolas turned back towards the stronghold. The gates opened for him and he quickly made his way to his father's study; exhaustion pulled at his limbs. Despite the patrol being peaceful, the long hours and lack of light had worn on his fea.

As expected, an ember glow showed from beneath the cracked door of his father's study. He smiled and knocked, entering when granted permission.

The door had barely clicked shut behind him before his father clasped his shoulders. "It is good to see you, ion nin." Legolas smiled and returned the gesture. Then the king pulled away and returned to his desk. "I expect the patrol was peaceful, yes?"

Legolas helped himself to a glass of wine from the end table before the fire. "Indeed, though it is dark on our borders, we did not run into much trouble that far north. I trust the ranger, Estel, made it here with that creature?"

The king gave a half smile, then took a patient sip of his own wine. "He did. The wretched thing is locked away in the dungeons and under guard as we speak."

Legolas took a seat opposite his father. "I'm surprised you allowed Estel to leave it."

"I must say," he set his empty glass aside, "the son of Arathorn has a diplomatic tongue. It will serve him well in the coming days."

Legolas laughed to himself. He knew firsthand how persuasive Estel could be when he needed to.

A half-hour passed and then another, as father and son spoke of the lighter things around the stronghold as well as the state of their borders before Legolas finally excused himself for the evening.

He stepped out, intent on turning in for the night, but something stopped him, and he turned the other way. Hallways blurred past him as he wandered towards the dungeons. He wasn't sure what drew him, but he chalked it up to simple curiosity. Estel had spent years hunting Gollum after all.

The guard let him through without a word and Legolas' soft footfalls brought him down the winding steps and to the dungeon's floor. A soft whining led him to the last cell, so deep underground he had to feel along the wall until a single candle came flickering into view. It seemed cruel to keep anything in so much darkness.

"It hurts us..." was the soft, pitiful cry, and the prince stopped short, waiting to see if it would continue. "We hates filthy elves...they burns us..."

Legolas' brow furrowed. Surely his father wouldn't have ordered the creature tortured. It wasn't their way.

Slowly, he stepped into the dying light. Gollum lay on the floor, curled up beneath the slab most would have used as a bed. The creature has his hands covering his mostly bald head as he rocked back and forth, muttering to himself through deep sobs.

Pity pricked at the prince's chest as he studied him. The creature was mostly skin and bones as if the food he had been given this past year had simply bypassed him.

Suddenly Gollum froze and looked up. Legolas met his gaze and the creature jumped back, hitting his head on the slab before scurrying into the opposite corner and screaming, the sound echoing throughout the cavern.

Legolas reached for the hilt of his knife but stayed his hand before he could frighten the creature further. "Be at peace," he said and held up both his hands. "I will not hurt you."

But Gollum continued to scream, "No! Let us go!"

Legolas crouched down, then settled himself on the floor opposite the cell door and waited for the creature to see he wasn't a threat. A moment passed of the creature's squawking before he finally settled down in the back of the cell.

"What does it want?" Gollum murmured with a glare, voice low, more as if to himself.

"Who are you?" Legolas asked softly.

The creature smiled, its few teeth shining yellow behind cracked, dry lips. "Gollum, Gollum!" Its whole body lurched forward with every couch. Legolas waited but the creature simply looked back up at him.

"Well?" the prince prodded.

A frown creased the corner of Gollum's mouth and he turned away. "Not nasty elveses business..."

The hatred in its voice from earlier had subsided and Legolas frowned. He watched as Gollum curled up under the slab again with a whine, back towards him.

Seeing he would get no information from him, Legolas stood, dusted off his hands, and turned to leave. It was such a pitiful thing.

As he made his way back out of the dungeon, he called to one of the guards who immediately stood at attention. "At ease," Legolas said. "I want you to take the prisoner out into the woods under heavy guard for an hour or so every day. No sense in letting it suffer more." The creature looks as though it has suffered enough.

"Yes, my prince," the guard said and Legolas thanked him before moving past and heading to bed.

June 20th of 3018 Third Age

Legolas sighed as he sat down beside his father in the great hall. His stomach growled and his father raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing.

"Mae govannen, adar," Legolas said and the king gave a nod. They had spoken briefly earlier in the day when Legolas had returned, but that had been more of the patrols and other doing of the realm.

After what seemed like an eternity, the servants swept through the doors, hauling large platters of food above their heads. The prince had to fight to keep himself from licking his lips as the smell of cooked venison swept through the hall. It had been a long three months on patrol.

Barely waiting for the serving to be done, he dug in, wiping away the juices from his mouth with a napkin.

The king leaned forward, his voice low. "You act like you haven't eaten in months."

Legolas slowed but couldn't bring himself to put down the fork. "Provisions aren't exactly the best in the south." He stabbed another slice of meat. "Perhaps the king would allow a larger budget to feed his army?"

Thranduil gave a short laugh, leaning back in his chair and swirling the wine in his glass. Legolas shrugged and took another bite before reaching for the meat tongs on the tray before him. It was worth a shot.

Legolas cut off a piece of the venison and placed it on his plate.

Suddenly, a deep boom! rang out, rattling the fork he held, scraping against the dish. He froze, swallowing the meat that seemed to have gone dry.

Boom!

It rang out again and he dropped his fork with a clatter. Shouts ran out from down the hall and he looked to the king, desperate for some sign that this was some flashback his mind had decided to dig up.

"Make way!" a shrill voice called, "Make way!"

Boom! The drum sounded again. It vibrated through the floor and up his legs. His heart pounded in his chest. Orc drums. This wasn't a nightmare.

"Make way!" The shout came again and a moment later an elf, covered in mud, sticks and leaves, busted into the room. The king and prince both rose to their feet and the messenger's face lightened in recognition when he saw the king.

"My king!" he said, bowing, his breaths coming in short pants.

"Speak," the king said, rising to his feet.

The messenger took a deep breath. "They are coming, my lord. Hundreds of them."

Just then, another Boom! rang out. Chair legs scraped across the floor as elves jumped to their feet. Shouts of confusion quickly turned to screams of terror.

The king turned to Legolas. "Go."

Legolas gave a quick bow and turned away. He made his way to the armory, clenching his fists at his sides as he forced himself to keep from running.

Many of his soldiers were already there and they stood at attention when he entered the room. Still, there were too few, two hundred at the most. The majority of their army patrolled the borders, never had a threat come so close so fast. Legolas turned to his scouts. "Go, see what you can find out, and then report back to me." They gave a quick salute and were off, bows slung over their shoulders.

Then he turned to the other soldiers. A quarter of them were to get the civilians inside the stronghold, another were to protect the nearest villages, the rest fell into line behind their captains.

*****

The clouds hung low as if the hidden stars had shoved them down in disgust. Legolas and his second, Amras, made their way across the bridge, soldiers falling in line behind them.

The drums grew louder, nearly drowning out the rush of the river below. They made their way forward just inside the tree line before Legolas called for a halt. They would not advance until they heard word from the scouts.

As if on cue, one of the scouts burst through the trees, eyes wide, darting around until Legolas met his gaze. "Captain," he cried as he ran over. "There are hundreds of orcs coming, Easterlings with them. They have passed several villages. They intend to attack us here."

"How long?"

The scout looked up to meet the prince's eyes once more. "Less than a half hour."

Legolas whispered a curse, then nodded to the scout in dismissal. He turned to Thaladir and a young captain who stood at his side, both awaiting orders. "Keep your ellyn on the ground here," he said to the younger of the two. "Thaladir and I will take our units into the trees. Do not let them cross the bridge."

The young captain clenched his jaw, his back straight. "Yes, sir."

Legolas called for his archers and Thaladir did the same. They made their way into the forest as the thundering of the orc drums grew louder, shaking the ground.

Too soon, Legolas caught a glimpse of the enemy, dark shapes running under a starless sky. He didn't want to think of the fate that must have befallen the border patrol for them to be so close. He raised his hand in a signal, making for the nearest tree, Thaladir, and his ellyn close behind him. Within seconds, the other units dispersed, scrambling high into the branches above.

Orcs and Easterlings alike marched in time with the drum which sent a shiver up the prince's spine. He watched them through the tangled leaves, one hand on his bow, the other caressing the notch of an arrow. Closer and closer they came. Stench drenched the night air, nearly making his eyes water. They were just below him. He raised his hand in another signal, then drew back his bow.

"Fire!"

Sixty arrows thudded into the enemy ranks below. The orcs cried as they fell, tripping their companions as they did so.

Legolas called for aim and then, "Fire!"

More orcs fell, arrows sticking out from the tops of their helmets. They screamed in agony and anger and Legolas felt sick satisfaction deep in his chest at the way their stiff corpses began to pile across the ground.

Releasing his troops to fire at will, he knocked another arrow and scanned the area until his gaze fell upon their leader, an Easterling, tall and painted across the face in red flame. Legolas raised his bow.

"Look out!" someone yelled. But before Legolas could move he felt himself shoved out of the way. He scrambled to gain purchase in the branches but his hand slipped and he fell to the next branch. Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed overhead and he looked up just in time for a body to come slamming down on him and knocking him off balance.

Branches scraped across his face and hands as he fell. He landed hard on another branch, the soldier landing on his back. A crack and then snap! sent them falling once more to crash onto the forest floor.

The impact sucked the air from his lungs and he lay gasping, the cries of the orcs seemed to fade for a moment before, in a great gasp of air, all came flooding back.

Orcs marched past him, arrows rained down, piercing the enemy and the ground all around.

"Legolas!" Thaladir yelled from above. Then his eyes widened and he aimed an arrow down at him. It whizzed past him and an orc screeched in agony as it fell.

Pushing the body off him, Legolas checked for a pulse, found none, then scrambled to his feet and drew his sword. An orc roared, charging at him. Legolas swung, lopping its head from its shoulders. Blood spewed from its neck, splattering onto the prince's armor.

Another orc spotted the stranded warrior and raised its club above is head in a charge. Legolas stood balanced on the balls of his feet, ready to fight, when a horn blew deep, rattling the ground.

Suddenly the orc stopped its attack and growled, baring its teeth. It lowered its weapon and spit.

Saliva spewed onto Legolas' face but he ignored it, using the distraction to strike the beast across the chest. The orc fell and Legolas moved to the next one. But before he could, the horn blew once more and his blood ran cold as the orcs turned away, falling into organized ranks, their graceless feet thundering towards the stronghold.

A/N: Annnndddd that's the first chapter! This entire 5 chapter fic is written (mostly) and edited (again, mostly) so updates should come every week! Camp NaNo starts tomorrow though so no promises! haha! Hit me up if any of yall are participating!

Let me know what yall think! I haven't posted a chapter fic is AGES!!

-Sierra